Valerie Ruberto
PMHNP-BC
Phone:
123-456-7890
Email:
Address:
500 Terry Francine Street
San Francisco, CA 94158
*Valerie will be changing her last name to Mata after her wedding in November 2026
Research-driven, patient care
My background in psychiatric clinical research continues to shape how I care for patients today. Before becoming a PMHNP, I studied bipolar disorder and treatment-resistant depression, developing a deeper understanding of how mood disorders affect both the brain and body. I bring that research-informed perspective into every appointment, combining clinical insight with genuine empathy to provide thoughtful, individualized care.
Education
Tufts University
B.S. in Clinical Psychology
I graduated Summa Cum Laude from Tufts University with a B.S. in Clinical Psychology. Tufts is one of the only universities that offers an undergraduate clinical psychology degree. In this program, I learned the foundations of psychology, various psychological theories, a variety of therapeutic modalities, and the diagnosis of mental disorders.
Seton Hall University
B.S. in Nursing
After graduating from Tufts, I decided to change careers to become a registered nurse (RN). I graduated Magna Cum Laude from Seton Hall's Accelerated BSN program. During this program, I completed clinical rotations at Summit Oaks Hospital, Newark Beth Israel, Jersey Shore Medical Center, and more.
Duke University
M.S. in Nursing
I received my MSN degree from Duke University's Psychiatric Mental-Health Nurse Practitioner program. This program has been ranked #1 among PMHNP programs by US News & World Report for 7 consecutive years.
Research Publications
Throughout my career, I've published peer-reviewed research. My areas of interest are bipolar disorder, and treatment-resistant depression. I have had jobs and clinical research internships at Massachusetts General Hospital, McLean Hospital, and Mount Sinai Medical Center.
Research on how stress shows up physically in the body (headaches, fatigue, stomach issues, etc.), and how that connects to depression. If you ever felt like your depression symptoms were more physical than mental, you're not imagining it.​
Research on how physical illnesses (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, etc.) are linked to depression severity in patients with bipolar disorder or major depressive disorder. The more physical illnesses a person has, the more severe their depression tends to be. This was true even when other variables were taken into consideration. Your physical health is closely tied to your mental health, and that should be considered as part of your treatment plan.
Research on how family history of mental health conditions affects bipolar disorder. We found that people with more mental health conditions in their family tend to have more severe symptoms and may need more intensive treatment, but they respond just as well to treatment over time. If mental health challenges run in your family, it can shape your experience, but it doesn’t define your outcome.
Research on how childhood trauma, especially emotional abuse during the teenage years, can shape depression later in life. We found that certain experiences, like verbal abuse in late adolescence, may have a lasting impact on mood. If parts of your past still affect how you feel today, there are real reasons for that. Your past is an important clue towards how your symptoms manifest today.
Research on how a sense of control affects mental health and overall quality of life. We found that the way the brain responds to feeling in control may help predict improvements in stress levels and life satisfaction over time. If feeling out of control has ever affected your stress or mood, there’s a real biological link behind that experience.